Assembly for curling irons



May 5, 1925. 1,536,246

LE ROY TRoNc ASSEMBLY FOR CURLING IRONS Filed Ma i-ch 7, 1924 [n veil-Z01: L e Roy Tiw nc.

Patented May 5, 1925.

LE ROY TRONC, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T MAGGIE MAY SLAUGHTER, or

CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

ASSEMBLY FOR CURLING IRONS.

Application filed March 7, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ln ROY TRONC, a citizen of the United States, residing at 5611 Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in anAssembly for Curling Irons, of which the following is a. specification.

In the present invention which relates to electrically heated curling irons, and which has particularly to do with expediting the replacement of damaged heating elements, the manner of arranging the connections intermediate such heating element and the handle plug, and the construction of the handle plug, the objects of the invention include the provision of a quickly replaceable heating element, and the supplying of an improved connection between said element and the member engaging the pull-out. cord plug detachably secured to the handle of the iron; also, an improved ointure between said pull-out plug and the member previously referred to and in engagement therewith. A concurrent object of the invention is to provide apull-out plug from which all danger from shocking is removed.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of the various parts of the device, all of which are fully illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a curling iron of the character herein described, the internal elements being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a. longitudinal section of a slightly modified form of the device;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the component parts, unassembled, of I the intermediate member disposed within the curling iron handle;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the handle plug:

Figure 5 is a similar view of the same part taken at right angles to Figure 4,

Figures 6 and 7 are side and top views of another type ofintermediate member, and

Figures 8 and 9 are end and longitudinal Serial No. 697,513.

views, the latter partly in section, of a handle plug to be used with said modified type of intermediate member.

Similar reference characters for identical parts are used in the drawing and in the description of the device which follows.

The ordinal 1O designates a conventional tube member as is found in electrically heated curling irons, 11, a hollow handle therefor, and 12. a ferrule between said parts.

Disposed in tube 10 is a heating member of element. 13, comprising a current-conducting rod 14 terminating in a threaded stem 15, and surrounded by a core 16 of insulating material, about which latter is coiled fine wire 17 to provide resistance to the passage of an electric current and thus generate heat. A protective non-inflammable covering 18 is wrapped about assembled heating element 13. Adjacent the threaded stem 15 thereof but insulated therefrom is a collar 19 of current conducting material connected with the wire 17, hence the path of current is through rod 14-. and wire 17, to collar 19. or vice versa. A collar 20 may be arranged at the top of rod 14 to limit the movement of insulating core 16 therealong. It is conventional to thread the lower end of said rod 14. to receive a nut 21 engaging core 16 at its opposite end. Any other suitable anchoring for holding the assembly, however, may be employed.

What I designate herein as the intermediate member is that part of the curling iron mechanism which is disposed between the heating element 13 just described and the pull-out plug later to be discussed and fitting within the handle 11. Such member is in the nature of a connector between the rather fragile heating element 13 and said pull-out plug, the latter being subject to severe treatment under any condition, and

placing unusual strains upon the mechanism of the iron when attached thereto and detached therefrom.

Such intermediate'meinber or connector, designated 22, comprises primarily a metallic stem 23 including an integral head 24 having a circumferential groove 25 about the middle section thereof, ,At its other end, 9

said stem 23 is hollow, and is externally and internally threaded, the external threads being adapted to receive a nut 26 which is to lock the several parts of the member 22 upon stem 23. The. internal threads are adapted toreceive the threaded stem of heating element 13. 3

By reference to Figure 3, the assembly Qt member 2.2. is. made ins ant y apparent- Adjacenthead 23 is an insulating collar 27 of the same diameter as head 23 and having a depending neck 28 over which a collar 29 is fitted. Said collar 29 includes abody portion 30 of the same diameterashead 24 and collar 27 and about which is a cir- -.Gum:ferential groove 30 and two separated flanges, liiiif different thickness, the outermost flange 31 being thinner and serving as a guard. Theinnermost and thicker flange 32 is abutted a second insulating collar 33, identical with collar- 27, such collar 33 having a depending neck 34 insert-able'into collar 29 so that collars 27 and 33, although interchangeable are reversed in the assembly. When the collars 27, 29 and 33 are arranged upon the stem 23, nut 26 is screwed home to secure the several parts from accidental displacement or separation.

Connection between heat'ng element 13 and intermediate member 22 is obtained, as to onedirection, by threading stem 15 into the hollow end of stem 23. This provides ready separation and replacement of heating member 13, the only part of the curling iron ordinarily broken or damaged through usage.

- To obtain a second connection between the two members 13 and 22, and to close the electric circuit therebetween, either of the methods shown in Figures 1 and 2 may he employed. In the first form (Figure 1),

. collar 19 and flange 31 are machined out or'otherwise formed with oppositely faced U-shaped seats or depressions 36 and 37,- into which a bridge 38, a flat strip of metal, is disposed. Screws 39 and 40 secure said bridge against displacement. Replacement of heating element 13 may be had in this form of the invention by disconnecting bridge 38 and unscrewing said element from its seat in intermediate member 22.

, The second form of connection between the heating element 13. and connector 22 comprises the forming'of a U-shaped seat '36 in collar 19 and a longitudinal aperture or hole 41 in'flange A wire 338* is dis-posed in seat 36 and secured about and beneath a screw 39. therein, the wires other end be 1:3 *fromconnector 22 is obtained by disconnecting wire :38? followed by the 1111- .Oifithfi heating element 13 in the "manner hereitlabdre outlined,

-' Intermediate member 22 may be locked in position in handle 11 in any suitable man-* Handle plug 42, to which is afiixed ner. cords 43 connecting with a plug 44 to be secured to a source of current, detachably connects with intermediate member 22 in On either side of said head 47, the body 45 isgroovedfthe groove 48 being of shorter length than groove 49 on the opposite side thereof. At the bottom of each groove 48 and 49 is a slot 50 the body 45. 1

Equidistant from each slot is a screw seat or hole, into which is inserted a screw 51. adapted to secure a spring contact 52 and opening into the bore of the uncovered wire end of one of cords 43.

Contact 52 is of flat spring material and comprises a body through one end of wh ch the screw 51 passes, the other end being bent to form an inwardly projecting I tion 53 for engagementwith grooves 25 or 30?, as the case maybe, and an extended lip 54 impinging therwall of the groove 48 or 49 beyond slot 50to limit inward projection of the free end of said contact Cords 43 are preferably entwined about one another and passed through aperture '47 and again tied before the wire.- cnds thereof are placed in engagement with screws 51. Contacts '52 are, of'course, uniform in size and form and hence interchangeable. I

About core 45 is placed an insulating material 55 which may be preformed as a tube. The assembled parts are next'placed in a cylindrical casing of metal 56 having thereabout a threaded section 57 to which an insulating cap 58, apertured to allow the passage of cords 43, is secured by rotation.

'A set screw 59 through said cap completes theassembly of the pull out plug 42 and g the curling, iron is ready for use when the plug 44 is connected to a so-urce'of electricity and handle plug 42 is' seated in handle 11.

Through this invention, a readily detachable handle plug .42 isprovided, such plug being ins'ertab'le when in any and all radial positions with respect to, the handle 11. The

plug 42 is so arranged that a shock therefrom isimpossible under any ordinary circumstance, for it possesses'no exposed current carrying parts, and such parts can only be 2 fort. V

'Asecond form of quickly removableheating element, intermediate member, and handle plug are shown in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9. A heating element 13 is provided with a stem 15 :which may be threaded if desired. Said heating element 13? is seated against reached by deliberate and premeditated tr 1 tacting point 63 adjacent its outer end,

held upon said block 60 by a screw 64. A set screw passes through said connector 62 and block 60, and engages stem 15 where by to establish a connection between said heating element 13 and said connector 62.

Upon the opposite side of said insulator block 60 and in the track 61 thereon, a second spring connector 66 substantially identical with connector 63 and having a contact point 67 is mounted, a screw 68, being used to hold said connector 66 in position. Connector 66 is joined electrically to the heating element 13 by a fiat strap or strip bridge 69 which may bedisposed at one end either beneath or above connector 66, being held in position by the binding screw 68. At its other end, bridge 69 is secured to the collar 19 on element 13 by a binding screw 70, the collar 19 ordinarily being countersunk to receive the bridge 69. In practice, the bridge 69 is slotted to receive screw 68 in order that variations in the configuration of heating element 13 may be accommodated.

In Figures 8 and 9, a pull out handle plug 42 is illustrated. Such plug comprises a centrally disposed insulator block 80, having shallow grooves 81 at each side thereof. In each of said tracks 81 is a strip contact element 82, having a depressed portion 83 ad jacent its end to receive connector members 62 and 69. Said contact element 82 may be secured to insulator block by screws or other suitable fastening means. Each of said contact elements 82 is electrically con nected by cables 43 to a source of electricity. The block 80 and the contact elements 82 secured thereto are housed within a shell 58 from which cables 43 pass preferably at the end as shown.

Intermediate member 22 is anchored in a heating tube by a set screw in the same fashion as member 22. To establish current circulation, plugs?) is forced into engagement with connectors 62 and 66, the contact points 63 and 67 engaging with and becoming seated in depressions 83 whereby to pre vent accidental separation between the iron and the plug 43. To disconnect, plug 43" is merely pulled out.

Heating element 13 is removed by loosening screws 65 and 70, and a new element 13 may be readily inserted as needed.

I claim:

1. A curling iron comprising a heated member, a heating element therein, a movable jaw, a handle, and means for connecting said heating element with a source of electrical energy and contained in said handle, said connecting means comprising a threaded stem adapted to be attached by rotative movement to said heating element at the center thereof to provide one connection therewith, and a bridge member detachably secured to the periphery of said heating element to provide a second connection therewith and to prevent accidental rotative movement between said heating element and said connecting means.

2. A curling iron comprising a heated member, a movable jaw, a handle for said heated member, a heating element disposed in said heated member, and connecting means intermediate said heating element, and a source of electrical energy, said connecting means comprising two sections adapted to be attached to and detached from one another, one of said sections being se' cured to said handle and comprising a stem having a grooved head and a threaded shank adapted to be rotatablv secured to said heating element to provide one connection therewith, and a grooved collar secured about said stem and insulated therefrom and having an extension portion providing a second connection with said heating element, the other section of said connecting means comprising movable jaws adapted to grip said stationary section upon the grooves in said stem and said collar and being adapted to be forced apart to release said sections.

3. In a curling iron, a tube, a handle, a movable jaw partially surrounding said tube, a heating element in said tube, and a connector therefor, said connector comprising a grooved rod, a similarly grooved collar surrounding said rod and insulated therefrom, and a member connected to a source of power and having jaws in staggered arrangement for engaging said grooves.

4. A curling iron having a handle, a heating element provided with contact portions spaced and insulated one from another and each having a circumferential groove, and a pull-out plug adapted to be seated in said handle and having inwardly directed spring contact members in staggered position for engaging said grooves.

LE ROY TRONC. 

